5 Lessons Learned from UFC 228

There’s always something to be learned from a major mixed martial
arts card, even if it may seem dull or uninspired. When you get the
“Event of the Year” (so far) like UFC
228 on Saturday in Dallas? It’s a full-on crash course and
makes it hard to pick only five major lessons to take away.

Some of you may be unconvinced on UFC 228’s status as the year’s
finest event; let me prove it. Additionally, allow me to illuminate
some of the other education that the it gave us. How well-rounded
is Woodley’s game? How stable is the immediate future of the UFC’s
115-pound women’s division? What value is there in going for
low-percentage submissions and what benefits are there to being a
longtime loyal UFC roster fighter when your career is in its
twilight?

Get ready and take notes on these five lessons from UFC 228:

You Heard Me: UFC 228 was the Best Event of the
Year

Now, this point may not necessarily be controversial, and for most
folks, it went without saying that the minute Woodley put a cap on
the night and Till put a tap on his buttocks, UFC 228 jumped to the
top of the leaderboard of this year’s finest fight cards. However,
there are always folks on the fence and outright contrarians who
would argue until they’re blue in the face that some
Rizin Fighting Federation or Absolute Championship Berkut card
was the real “Event of the Year,” so it’s still worth
examining just what made UFC 228 so spectacular.

As I already mentioned, Woodley delivered the goods in the main
event and that’s crucial to the overall legacy of the bill, because
when it comes to how MMA events are remembered on the whole, it’s
very much an “all’s well that ends well” proposition. A ho-hum card
with a sensational main event is pretty good stuff, but a great
card with a disappointing headliner is decidedly wack; that’s just
how it has always been in this sport. Having said that, it’s not
just Woodley who came through in the clutch here. UFC 228 really
ticked all the narrative boxes you could ask for in an event.

While promoters can never necessarily control how thrilling a card
is in practice versus on paper, UFC matchmakers Sean Shelby and
Mick Maynard took particular measures to increase the odds UFC 228
would inspire and entertain. They put fan favorites like Miller and
Sanchez in positions to succeed, they crafted brilliant showcases
for hot prospects like Suarez and Magomedsharipov and they created
pairs of both bantamweight (Sterling-Cody
Stamann, Jimmie
Rivera-John Dodson)
and women’s strawweight (Andrade-Karolina
Kowalkiewicz, Suarez-Esparza) fights with relevant contenders
that ensured no matter how exciting the fights turned out to be,
fans and media alike would be eager to discuss what comes next for
the winners and divisions on the whole. Thrilling fights and
stoppages may get people talking, but clever card construction
keeps people talking and thirsting for what lies ahead.

Woodley, Master of Fight Economics in More Ways Than
One

In many ways, it was necessary for Woodley to put on a stellar
performance, not just to ensure that UFC 228 went down in the
history books as an all-time great event but to emphasize his own
value to the promotion and potentially to a buying public that will
now be more hyped for his forthcoming title defenses, especially
the likely-imminent showdown with rabble-rouser Colby
Covington. Lots of fighters devise schemes to get paid, whether
that means actively testing free agency, becoming craven in the
pursuit of fight-night bonuses or fashioning themselves as
agitators and entertainers on social media. Now, Woodley is no
shrinking violet with a microphone in his face. Between his own
YouTube channel, his Fox analyst desk job, his TMZ “Hollywood
Beatdown” segments and his forthcoming single “I’ll Beat Your Ass”
with Wiz Khalifa, he has done a great job of raising his
visibility. Ultimately, the 170-pound kingpin has shown time and
time again that if you are a truly elite fighter the surest way to
get paid is just to win at all costs.

That brings us to Woodley’s fighting style. From the outside,
Woodley’s performances may have been uneven and mercurial. He
bounces from a thrilling knockout of the legendary Robbie
Lawler and a “Fight of the Year” contender in his first bout
with Stephen
Thompson to a dull rematch with “Wonderboy” and a clunker
against Demian Maia.
It has earned Woodley a reputation as unreliable in terms of
entertainment value, if not outright boring in some folks’ eyes.
However, his decimation of Till, who was credited with landing just
one strike in more than nine minutes of fighting by FightMetric,
showed that inside the cage Woodley operates the same as he does
outside of it. He will not overexert himself; he will strategize
and figure out how to make you do what he wants you to do.

After the win, Woodley remarked that he knew he would find his
right-hand counter because he had watched so much tape on Till and
noticed him relying on the lead uppercut. Woodley managed to bait
his man by repeatedly moving himself backwards to the fence early
on, begging Till to attack so he could set up that counter. When he
got Till hurt, Woodley reminded us of how ferocious he is when
there is blood in the water. However, in order to put the blood in
the water, an opponent actually needs to meaningfully engage him,
which is the stark difference between the two Thompson fights or
the Till triumph and Woodley’s previous defense against a timid and
unwilling Maia. To top it off, Woodley even busted out his
underrated submission attack -- remember, he nearly guillotined
Thompson from mount in their first fight -- which only ever creeps
out when he feels he needs to use it. For his efforts, he was
awarded his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt from trainer Din Thomas.
Plain and simple, Woodley has become a superb tactician in and out
of the Octagon. He has underrated skills as a fighter and a
professional and has become a master at forcing his opponent’s
hand, whether it’s his latest challenger or his own promoter.

The Women’s Strawweight Division: Far From Safe or
Settled

If there was one person who had every right to not be enthused by
the outcomes at this event, it was UFC 115-pound champ Rose
Namajunas. In a 10-month span, Namajunas has conquered previous
pound-for-pound queen Joanna
Jedrzejczyk twice, drastically reshaping the women’s
strawweight division. Despite “Thug Rose” vanquishing Jedrzejczyk,
previously presumed unbeatable in the division, on back-to-back
occasions, the amount of talent at 115 pounds suggested that
Namajunas’ future as champion would be anything but smooth sailing.
UFC 228 just made those seas ahead even stormier.

As discussed above, it was a smart strategy for the UFC to pair the
Andrade-Kowalkiewicz and Suarez-Esparza fights on the same card to
intensify discussion and debate around what comes next in the
division. However, in victory, Andrade and Suarez were so
good that it has put that division into overdrive, leaving many to
wonder if Namajunas’ time as champion is already up, just as she
has started to stake her claim.

In what was a de facto title eliminator, Andrade likely earned
herself a second crack at UFC gold by absolutely destroying
Kowalkiewicz in unprecedented fashion, savagely punching “The
Polish Princess” into oblivion in less than a round. In addition to
the Brazilian bomber being the most athletically freakish and
powerful fighter at strawweight, she continues to hone her skills,
amplifying her genetic gifts in a terrifying way. “Piledriver” has
no claim to be the top strawweight woman in the sport yet, but the
26-year-old is unrivaled as a physical force at 115 pounds, and
that may put her in that position sooner rather than later, unless
Namajunas can continue to evolve and elevate her game in short
order.

Meanwhile, Suarez, who is just 27 years old, was so insanely
dominant over Esparza, the division’s inaugural UFC champion, that
a smattering of folks already wants to see her jump into a title
fight after just seven pro fights. She has stopped three of her
four Octagon opponents and looked increasingly overbearing in each
of her outings. The Millennia MMA product secured nine takedowns
and outlanded Esparza 136-12 in total strikes before stopping her
with relentless, mauling ground-and-pound late in the third round.
Esparza is a great athlete and wrestler, yet had absolutely no
recourse against the impetuous Suarez. Keep in mind, Suarez is a
true world-class wrestler who likely would’ve qualified for the
2012 Olympics if not for a neck injury that was followed by a
thyroid cancer diagnosis. With Andrade bound for the next crack at
Namajunas, Suarez is likely headed for a title eliminator next time
out, and she figures to be a prohibitive favorite. Frankly, given
her history of bumps and bruises related to wrestling and the fact
this was just her fourth fight in two years, injuries might be the
only thing that stand between Suarez and a UFC title in short
order. Regardless, Namajunas’ path to a long-term legacy just
became more difficult in light of UFC 228’s developments.

Long-Term UFC Loyalist Get Lobs, Layups

I mentioned earlier that part of UFC 228’s shrewd composition was
that it featured two longtime UFC mainstays and sentimental
favorites, Miller and Sanchez, both getting their hands raised in
underdog scenarios. Miller, in his record-setting 30th UFC fight,
quickly dropped Alex White
and choked him out in less than 90 seconds, while Sanchez, in his
28th Octagon appearance, showed shades of his old relentless
ground-and-pound assault, smashing Craig White
for 15 minutes. To say that their triumphs were the feel-good
moments of the card for most of the MMA populace would be an
understatement.

Me? I was a little mad at myself, honestly. I had thrown a little
scratch on Miller at +130, suspecting that his recent 0-4 skid was
more a product of high-quality opposition to which “The Spartan”
did not measure up. However, I had to kick myself a little for not
having the nerve to plunk down some coin on Sanchez at +180,
suspecting that, even if shopworn, he was not facing a fighter with
the kind of power and defensive wrestling that has troubled him
recently. My belief in Miller and Sanchez wins was not born out of
“gut feelings.” It was predicated on a long-observable UFC
matchmaking trait: promotional loyalists, when they’re faded and
slumping, are given soft touches to give them the greatest chance
to succeed and rebound.

With 58 UFC fights and 23 years of Octagon experience combined,
all-action styles and career-long “I’ll fight anyone” mentalities,
Miller and Sanchez have long been favorites, both for the promoter
and fans. Yes, they’re in the twilight of their careers, but more
than ever, the UFC needs the help of fighters like this to bolster
undercards with some name value and recognition. This is why Miller
was given a hunt-and-peck striker with a below-average submission
game and Sanchez was paired with a foe who lacks even rudimentary
defensive wrestling skills. This is not to say that every fading
veteran will get treated with kid gloves. Thiago
Alves, 1-3 in his last four appearances, is about to face 18-0
prospect Alexey
Kunchenko, while Donald
Cerrone, 1-4 in his last five outings, is due to face Mike Perry.
Even so, ask yourself: Why is the UFC bringing back 39-year-old
B.J.
Penn, who hasn’t won a fight in almost eight years, to face
grappling star Ryan Hall, one
of the most preferential style matchups for him on the entire
roster? Not every dimming star will get such treatment, but the
most beloved and cherished UFC veterans will always be put in
positions to prosper when they desperately need it, so long as the
promotion can still make some money with them.

Play the Percentages, Even the Low Ones

UFC 228 wasn’t just exciting because of consistent in-cage action
and a slew of stoppages. A key component to what made the event so
intriguing and entertaining was the specific techniques that
generated that action and those stoppages.

One of the aspects that will ensure UFC 228 is fondly remembered
for years to come is that we improbably saw not one but two
kneebars from back control courtesy of the ever-funky Sterling and
the ever-dynamic Magomedsharipov. I was once spellbound and shocked
when a random
International Fight League card featured two traditional
kneebars, but two kneebars from back control? It was unthinkable
and unfathomable in my mind, until I saw it. In 25 years of Octagon
action, there had only been one such successful submission
previously, as Kenny
Robertson tapped Brock
Jardine with the maneuver at UFC 157 back in February 2013.
While Sterling and Magomedsharipov each finished their variations
differently -- Sterling torqued Stamann’s knee inside, while
Magomedsharipov used more of a straight hamstring ripper on
Brandon
Davis -- both are essentially the same move, often called “The
Suloev Stretch,” in honor of deceased UFC and
Pride Fighting Championships veteran Amar Suloev,
who first brought the technique into the MMA consciousness with his
2002 submission of Paul
Cahoon.

While this move will pop up in local results from time to time on
small, obscure shows, it’s seldom attempted in high-level MMA. To
that end, I simply ask “Why?” Yes, it can be difficult to secure
and it is fundamentally a “low-percentage technique” in the grand
scheme of MMA. Often when we talk about low-percentage techniques,
there is a suggestion of self-sacrifice, implying that if the
attacking fighter is unsuccessful, he will be compromised. However,
the Suloev Stretch requires the attacking fighter to have already
secured a dominant position like back control; it is a technique
that fundamentally prizes position and security over recklessness.
Also, it’s purported low-percentage status makes it an even more
attractive option, as a defending opponent is less likely to see it
coming and may be even more easily trapped due to its obscure
nature. Earlier at UFC 228, Jarred
Brooks demonstrated against a savvy Brazilian jiu-jitsu player
like Roberto
Sanchez that even traditional leglock attempts from guard --
techniques often vilified for opening the attacker to clean
ground-and-pound -- can be used to neutralize and sweep opponents
effectively.

Part of what makes MMA so beautiful and engrossing is the freedom
of attack; fighters are technically bound only by their creativity
and imagination. Better still, while some techniques like a jab or
a low kick may have a wider fundamental use and purpose in a fight,
the dynamic that permits MMA to have these incredible stoppages
with exotic offense is that in some moment, even if just for a
split second, there is always a perfect technique to answer your
opponent and render him helpless. The more of these maneuvers a
fighter has and the better he can recognize those ephemeral moments
to attack, the more successful he can be and the more we can
experience the joy of picking up our jaws off the floor.